Saint Vincent College remembers 'fire and ice' day when campus burned

Several buildings destroyed in large fire on Jan. 28, 1963

Jan. 28 marks 50 years since 400 firefighters in below-zero temperatures battled flames that destroyed part of Saint Vincent College in Westmoreland County.

“They not only stopped the fire, but saved Saint Vincent (College). They did it at the risk to their own lives. We have pictures of these firemen up on tall ladders, hanging into the flames shooting water into it,” said Saint Vincent historian Jerome Oetgen.